It is not entirely clear when Songs: Ohia became Magnolia Electric Co. In interviews, Jason Molina has claimed that he considered the tenure of Songs: Ohia over after Didn't It Rain, which would make Magnolia Electric Co. the eponymous debut album of the new band. In fact the name Songs: Ohia appears nowhere on the artwork of the album and only a promotional sticker on the cellophane wrapping connects it with the prior band name. Nevertheless, Secretly Canadian still promotes the album under the Songs: Ohia moniker. On the other hand, the Magnolia Electric Co. live album Trials and Errors was recorded on April 16, 2003 at the Ancienne Belgique club in Brussels, at a time when the band was still touring under the Songs: Ohia name. Pitchfork Media later reported that name change would be made official after the Spain tour in October 2003, although by now it seems the label espouses a name change around July 2003.
On January 13, 2006, Molina told a Chicago newspaper that he had recorded three records which were to be released within a few months. A solo record, titled Let Me Go, was recorded February 2005 in Indiana and features a return to the voice/piano/guitar style that Pyramid Electric Co. was recorded in. A Magnolia Electric Co. album, Nashville Moon, was recorded during July 2005 with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago. Molina stated that there was a heavy atmosphere in the studio, due to the fact that three of Albini's close friends had died in a car crash. The third record to be released is a full length collaboration with Camper Van Beethoven front man David Lowery, tentatively named The Black Ram. During the sessions for the album, Molina's mother suffered a stroke, went into a coma and has been on life support since then.
In the article, Molina also commented on his determined work ethic: "Every New Year I throw out songs. I just threw out probably 20 tapes full of demos and I didn't even listen to them... Getting rid of all that old stuff really forces you to write new material."
Though officially Songs: Ohia no longer records or performs, and projects have been either marketed as Magnolia Electric Co. or Jason Molina's solo work, most fans still use the name Songs: Ohia to refer to all projects collectively.
Jason Molina stopped touring and recording in 2009 in order to enter rehab and fight his alcoholism. An EP called Autumn Bird Songs was released in 2012 under Molina's own name, although it consisted of songs recorded before Molina had entered rehab. He died on March 16th, 2013 of organ failure.
Leave the City
Magnolia Electric Co. Lyrics
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I mean it broke what wasn't
Broken in there already
But all my great reasons
For leavin' now I can't think of any
It's true was a hard time
That I come through
And I'm still thankful for the blues
Half my life spent on a highway
Half my life I didn't choose
I have seen the north star
Shining in the freight yard
And I knew it was a hard time
But it came through
It made him thankful for the blues
It broke my heart to know you waiting
I had so many things to do
It's true as far as a lot of stuff
You could have had a little better luck
But with you I'm not givin' up
Tonight I'm not givin' up
Magnolia Electric Co.'s "Leave the City" is a powerful and emotional song about the difficulties of leaving a city and the struggles that come with it. The lyrics express a feeling of brokenness and the hard times that the singer has been through, yet they are thankful for the pain because it has inspired their music. The song expresses that sometimes we can't think of a good reason to leave a city, but we still feel compelled to do so.
The first verse of the song is particularly poignant as it expresses the singer's pain when leaving the city. The line "it broke my heart to leave the city" suggests that they had a deep emotional connection to the place, perhaps because of the memories that were made there. The following line "I mean it broke what wasn't broken in there already" further elaborates on the painful experience of leaving behind something that had already been wounded or damaged. The singer then acknowledges that they can't think of any good reasons to leave, which emphasizes how difficult the decision to leave the city was.
The second verse of the song speaks to the singer's life on the road. They say "half my life spent on a highway, half my life I didn't choose", which conveys a sense of longing for stability and routine. The mention of the north star shining in the freight yard hints at the singer's travels, and perhaps a sense of longing to be back in one place. Despite the difficulties of their life on the road, the singer expresses gratitude for the struggles they've faced as it has inspired their art.
Overall, "Leave the City" is an emotional and poignant song that speaks to the difficulties of making a change and leaving behind the old ways of life. It is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and how we can find gratitude in even the most challenging moments.
Line by Line Meaning
It broke my heart to leave the city
Leaving the city was not an easy decision, as the person's heart was already broken and leaving the city just made it worse.
I mean it broke what wasn't broken in there already
Leaving the city made things even worse for the person, as it broke something inside them that wasn't already broken.
But all my great reasons for leavin' now I can't think of any
Despite having compelling reasons for leaving the city, the person couldn't think of any now that they have left.
It's true was a hard time that I come through and I'm still thankful for the blues
The person went through a difficult time in their life, but they are still grateful for the experiences that made them stronger.
Half my life spent on a highway, half my life I didn't choose
The person has spent a significant portion of their life on the road and didn't have a choice in the matter.
I have seen the north star shining in the freight yard, and I knew it was a hard time but it came through, it made him thankful for the blues
Despite the hardships they faced, the person found hope and inspiration in the smallest things, like seeing the North Star in the freight yard, which made them grateful for music that helped them through tough times.
It broke my heart to know you waiting, I had so many things to do
Knowing that someone was waiting for them made leaving the city even harder, as the person had many other things to attend to.
It's true as far as a lot of stuff, you could have had a little better luck, but with you I'm not givin' up, tonight I'm not givin' up
While things may not have gone perfectly, the person is not giving up on the relationship with the person waiting for them and wants to spend the evening with them.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Jason Molina
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind